Jason Vincent of Nightwood one of Food & Wine's Best New Chefs

Nightwood executive chef Jason Vincent

Chicago Tribune

Chicago Tribune

Phil VettelTribune critic

For Jason Vincent, the only downside in being named one of Food & Wine magazine’s “Best New Chefs in America,” was the timing. Making the 2013 list of 10 chefs meant Vincent had to spend Tuesday in New York for the announcement, photo shoot and gala.

“I was planning on watching opening day with my kid,” said Vincent, a die-hard Cleveland Indians fan. “When I found out I won, I also thought, ‘April 2nd? Really?”

In exchange for missing 1/162 of the Indians’ season, Vincent, executive chef at Nightwood restaurant (2119 S. Halsted St.), gets to join a very exclusive club.

“I grew up in Cleveland, and when Michael Symon (of Lola restaurant) got it in 1998, I thought it was awesome that a Cleveland dude got recognized,” Vincent said. “I just kind of obsessed over it, to tell you the truth.”